diff --git a/core/setup/secondary.go b/core/setup/secondary.go
index 2f620c43e..e8326fa25 100644
--- a/core/setup/secondary.go
+++ b/core/setup/secondary.go
@@ -17,13 +17,12 @@ func Secondary(c *Controller) (middleware.Middleware, error) {
 	for _, n := range zones.Names {
 		if len(zones.Z[n].TransferFrom) > 0 {
 			c.Startup = append(c.Startup, func() error {
-				err := zones.Z[n].TransferIn()
-				return err
-			})
-			c.Startup = append(c.Startup, func() error {
-				go func() {
-					zones.Z[n].Update()
-				}()
+				zones.Z[n].StartupOnce.Do(func() {
+					zones.Z[n].TransferIn()
+					go func() {
+						zones.Z[n].Update()
+					}()
+				})
 				return nil
 			})
 		}
diff --git a/middleware/file/secondary.go b/middleware/file/secondary.go
index 057d6a4f3..66b1daa98 100644
--- a/middleware/file/secondary.go
+++ b/middleware/file/secondary.go
@@ -18,10 +18,13 @@ func (z *Zone) TransferIn() error {
 	m.SetAxfr(z.name)
 
 	z1 := z.Copy()
-	var Err error
+	var (
+		Err error
+		tr  string
+	)
 
 Transfer:
-	for _, tr := range z.TransferFrom {
+	for _, tr = range z.TransferFrom {
 		t := new(dns.Transfer)
 		c, err := t.In(m, tr)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -52,15 +55,15 @@ Transfer:
 		break
 	}
 	if Err != nil {
-		log.Printf("[ERROR] Failed to transfer %s", z.name)
-		return nil
+		log.Printf("[ERROR] Failed to transfer %s: %s", z.name, Err)
+		return Err
 	}
 
 	z.Tree = z1.Tree
 	z.SOA = z1.SOA
 	z.SIG = z1.SIG
 	*z.Expired = false
-	log.Printf("[INFO] Transferred: %s", z.name)
+	log.Printf("[INFO] Transferred: %s from %s", z.name, tr)
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/middleware/file/zone.go b/middleware/file/zone.go
index c0bd2ffa6..f9bb8efe2 100644
--- a/middleware/file/zone.go
+++ b/middleware/file/zone.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package file
 
 import (
+	"sync"
+
 	"github.com/miekg/coredns/middleware"
 	"github.com/miekg/coredns/middleware/file/tree"
 
@@ -14,6 +16,7 @@ type Zone struct {
 	*tree.Tree
 
 	TransferTo   []string
+	StartupOnce  sync.Once
 	TransferFrom []string
 	Expired      *bool
 }